Here is a follow-up I had after this original post on our Private FaceBook Group…

…a question I had PM’d to me…

…”Hi Tom. I was reading the post about your dad. My husband just found out he has a fatty liver and light cholesterol. I have been trying this woe for a couple months. I still have trouble with trying to figure out all the macros. I was wondering if you know of somewhere to learn more or find a plan to help me. I’m just not doing good. Thank you”…

First off – I am not a medical professional. Please consult your doctors and nurses. If you need to, find someone that is fluent in this way of eating. They are out there.

Second, Dad has been practicing a “Low Carb” protocol. This is similar to, but not the same as – a true Keto Diet. The main difference being, he isn’t tied to his Macros. One has to decide which side you are on, then make food and meal choices accordingly.

On the Keto side of things (which I am closer to currently)…

The macros are fairly simple. Roughly 70% of your intake in fats – 25% in proteins – 5% in carbs. Saying it is the easy part, actually hitting those numbers seems to give folks a little more issue.

Another MAJOR issue is, if you are new at this and not properly attuned to (meaning – not very good at) identifying “hidden” carbs, while on a high fat protocol… it will make for a very dangerous place for those with any type of health risk.

Adding (by mistake or otherwise) bad carbs to a high fat protocol – is VERY DANGEROUS for those “at risk”. This shouldn’t scare you. It should make you think. If carbs, sugars, flours and other “carby” things are such an issue, why have we been eating them in the FIRST PLACE??

SO – no matter what, BE DILIGENT!!

Keto can work for you – Very Low Carb can work for you. However, be smart. Study. Find the carbs. Eliminate THEM!!

There is no cheat – EVER. It is a lifestyle. Think of it as a skill set. You will get better and better as you go along.

2 Suggestions have made a difference for me.

1. I Google menus and plan ahead (when I can) before I go out to eat. This way, I’m not surprised or sad when I log my meals.

I learned the hard way. Someone treated me to a meal at the Cheesecake Factory for my birthday. It was an eye-opener as I was searching MFP (MyFitnessPal) for something decent to order while the waiter stood there. I chose so badly. It threw me out of ketosis. I learned a lesson.

2. For my own benefit, I took Dr. Eric Westman’s list (page 4) and wrote what the carb count is for every vegetable on it, based on serving size.

Page 4 is very similar to the “What Can I Eat?” list I’ve seen posted. Dr. Westman runs the Lifestyle Clinic at Duke University. I first learned about the Ketogenic WOE while watching his videos on YouTube and then attending a couple of his support group meetings in Durham, NC. Let me say there are many ways to do a Keto Diet. Some doctors have their own protocols.

Knowing the vegetable carb counts (and the suggested serving sizes) helped me decide which vegetables I will “spend” my carb grams on and which ones aren’t worth it. (It will be different for each of us!)

Knowing this can help you plan meals (which I began planning by the MONTH… sounds daunting, but it can be done), buy groceries, and eat out with more confidence.

Make Keto simple and it will always be your friend and never let you down. I hope someone finds this helpful. – Sandra H. Rosser

Mom’s Low Carb Taco Soup

So – before my Mom and Dad decided a Low Carb lifestyle would be healthier for them, my mother’s kitchen was a fairly safe place for me. Everything in there was “off-limits” for me – so my defenses were pretty well evolved. Now, however, this can be a DANGEROUS PLACE.

This soup is a perfect example. Imagine being able to walk through you mom’s kitchen and grab a bite of something delicious on the stove that is actually Low Carb (or Keto)… Uh oh – this is bad. Very bad for me!! The soup is sooooo good!!

Real Low Carb Ice Cream

I’ve had the same experience as many others. I have never gotten any of those “internet shake – shake – shake” recipes to work. I’ve never gotten it to turn into anything I would call “ice cream”. I’ve tried everything – even an INDUSTRIAL SHAKER!!

However, I did recently make REAL, VERY LOW CARB Vanilla ice cream using a small Krups ice cream maker. It is LEGIT!!

The way this method works – generally… The cylinder is very cold and stored in a freezer.

The mixture is made (by whatever process for the particular ice cream recipe)… cooled and put in the very cold cylinder to be stirred until it changes consistency.

I warmed the light cream on the stove top (NOT TO A BOIL). While this was getting started I beat the eggs and Swerve together WELL (hand mixer). Once beaten I added to the Light Cream and let heat a little longer. Do not allow to boil. Once these ingredients are mixed and slightly creamier… remove from heat, add Heavy Whipping Cream and Vanilla. Chill in fridge until very cold (several hours). Do not freeze this mixture. Do not use if it has turned to a semi-solid.

I removed the cooling cylinder from the deep freeze, assembled the ice cream maker, plugged it in and turned it on immediately. Once on and running I poured the ice cream mixture in through the pour opening (very easy).

Within several minutes I noticed changes – in 8-10 minutes, it starts developing some lumps. In about 20 minutes it was a pretty firm “home-made” ice cream consistency. It was VERY GOOD.

One could freeze this mixture for an additional several hours to tighten it up some more. I believe I could let it go another 8-10 minutes and gotten a different result – though it was super good and what I remember from my Grandma’s house over July 4th as a child.